Local lads Innis and Ciaran came along for a bit of paddle training.
A bit of time was spent in canoes, practising their strokes and leaning new techniques. After a fancy Wispa hot chocolate and rest it was time to spend a bit of time in kayaks, unfortunately neither fell in so I just had to spend my time hurling wet piranhas at them.
Sadly time was ticking away and this wasn’t getting their revision done, so it was time to end the afternoon and send them back to their study.
I should really do more of these blog post things, so here is one.
Today the sun was shinning and it looked like a great day to get out for a paddle. Upon arriving at Tollaidh Bay they decided to have an adult canoe and a youth canoe – which is best for teamwork, youth and enthusiasm or a bit of age and wisdom?
In the end both boats managed well, despite the fresh wind coming down the loch. After an ‘all right‘ (delicious) and warming hot chocolate the youth team decided to split and have a go in kayaks, whilst the adult team used their wisdom deciding that the stability of the canoe would keep them dryer.
The kayakers where doing well until George leant a little too far and had an unexpected bath. I towed him ashore whilst he kept a shivering smile on his face. After a bit more paddling around it was time to end a fun session on the water, well done everyone.
It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything, so I thought I’d put up a few pictures.
I only had a few things to do today, one of them being nipping to the shop. Would have been daft to drive on such a nice day.
Aultbea Stores across the millpond like water.
The mountains south towards Torridon, snow covered and inviting.
An Teallach to the east, not the most rugged looking from this angle but we know it is really.
A spot of wild life watching on route – just a spot though.
Gentle paddling back home to Mellon Charles, a lovely little paddle out for milk and bread. I’ll have to find an excuse to nip to the shop tomorrow!
Wester Ross can be fantastic at this time of the year, not just the summer time.
My german skills can’t be described as any good, however, Jeder paddelten wirklich gut.
Things took slightly longer for translations to be done, but we still crammed plenty into the session. Everyone paddled well, even young Carla who conned me into giving her a tow so she could rest her arms.
Tim, Alison, Tom & Harry had one of the stillest days on the water so far, not a ripple anywhere. Well, apart from the otter’s ripples and of course the the pesky seal that kept following us and surprising Harry!
The still water made paddling easy, making it a calm and relaxed morning.
Tom even managed to gain his Paddle Power Start Award – well done! Harry will have to wait till he’s a little bigger.
A wet day saw the Lindsey family arrive in Poolewe to get out on the water. Initially they all jumped into kayaks to see how they did. The sky opened and we all got drenched, luckily they had hired wetsuits from Sands Campsite where they were staying.
After the kayaks Kevin and Hannah teamed up, as did Alison and Joe to crew their canoes. The weather had luckily improved by now and a pleasant paddle was had along the to Poolewe bridge, calm and gentle at high tide.
Locals Ian, Linda and Honer had some family up on holiday – Andrew, Chris, Sam and James. We all took to the water in canoes to lean some skills and have some fun.
All the boats meant that in the pyranha game you never knew where the next sodden pyranha was going to be flying from. Unless you where Linda who knew it was coming from Honer, sat just behind her!
The MacTaggart’s came along to my local beach for a fun time in canoes and kayaks. Ross is a keen kayaker so he jumped straight into one whilst Iona and Jenny crewed one canoe and Seumas and Anne set off in the other.
After some fun and games paddling around Anne’s confidence grew and she really wanted to try out a kayak. After a quick brew break, Anne and Seumas slipped themselves into kayaks. They both did just as well in sole control of a boat as they had tandem.
Since it was such nice weather we decided to see how our balance was, Iona ended up getting very wet. Just as I had the camera out – sorry!
Amos and Kadya where sent across to me from Paul (Go Further Scotland). They wanted to spend an afternoon climbing in the sunshine, testing their skills against the local Gneiss.
After a number of climbs and abseils the midges got the better of both of them and it was time to head home. A good afternoon spent leaning basic climbing skills, starting their climbing careers.
Hazel, Trevor and daughters Carolyn and Laura where staying in Beinn Eighe Cottage just across the field from me, so I thought we might as well use the little beach a couple hundred meters down the road.
We all set of from the beach in kayaks, seeing how the boats do, turns out that they spin quite well! After a fun session paddling around we rafted up to see if we could get wet. No point wearing wetsuits otherwise!
All four family members, Stephen, Kathryn, Ken and Fiona, started off on the water brilliantly, managing to keep their boat going just about straight from the start.
After a while of practising strokes by playing a few games we headed into the wind for a paddle around to Camas Glas.
On the way back Ken got board of paddling and decided to do some swimming, a few times! We then played a few more games ending up with some more swimming before heading back for hot drinks.
This afternoon a quick last minute canoe session was squeezed in at Poolewe.
The teams where Karen & Keven in one boat and Donald & Scott in the other. Both pairs became good enough to eddy hop along the River Ewe up to Poolewe bridge.
On the way back a game of ‘Lock Ewe Pyranhas’ turned into a splashing fight, both teams got drenched but spirits stayed high and everyone was still smiling when we arrived back at the cars.
This morning was another midge morning. Not pleasent on on the bank so we made a quick get away onto the still water of Loch Maree. Seoras decided to opt for going into the water instead of onto it even before I had got into my boat.
Everything went well for a while until Seoras went in for a second time. And then a third, and forth… I think by the end of the session he’d swam 8 times! A record for the year so far! If only there was an Olympic medal for capsizing.
The rest of the group, Eileen, George, Charlie and Roma, demonstrated that you don’t have to fall in all the time. Although Charlie did take a dip whilst racing away to protect his ‘tail’ in a game.
Despite all the rescues it was a good morning.
The Pringle-MacIntyre Family
where briefly in the area on their honeymoon after getting married last weekend – Congratulations!
They couldn’t decide upon canoes or kayaks, so we all started in kayaks and later on some swapped to canoes to see the difference.
All the family, Wendy, Ross, Ross, Rory and even young Adam paddled well, picking it up right from the start.
After a few days of rain and strong winds it all settled and the midges came out to play. Once on the water we escaped them till we landed back at the end.
Both pairs, Carl and William & Roz and Eleanor, got the hang of the canoes, managing to get where they wanted without turning in too many circles! Very early on the lads boat reached a wee bit too far for a pryranha and ended up swimming! After a quick break to sort out soggy clothes everyone jumped back in the boats.
The rest of the afternoon was spent paddling and playing games with everyone staying dry.
A group of six friends staying in Ullapool came down for a paddle in Poolewe bay and around the edge of Inverewe Garden to Camas Glas.
All three boats where competitive from the start, getting very involved in some games. The teams picked up the different strokes quickly, enabling them to manoeuvre their boats where they wanted to go, mostly of the time!
Since it was low tide the group had the opportunity to collect a bunch of mussels for their tea. The crabs that they found where a wee bit small to eat, so after scurring around the boat scaring folk they where returned to the sea.
After a coffee break in Camas Glas the lads wanted to try solo paddling, they did well at this using a modified ‘J’ stroke to keep them going straight. After picking up the rest of the group from the beach we headed off otter spotting – none where seen today, but a seal was later spotted watching us as we headed for shore.
A few more games showed off the teams paddling ability and their balance, along with another round of the old favourite ‘Loch Ewe Pyranhas’. Some of the group where keen to get wet (mad people…) so they took up an unstable paddling position sitting on the very front of the canoes, with their legs dangling into the water. Sadly their balance was far too good for this and in the end they had to just jump in and swim the short distance to shore.
Despite getting wet everyone had a great time – another good session.
I finally remembered the camera this afternoon for a bit of climbing at clown crag. This afternoon’s session was passed over from Paul (gofurtherscotland) who is off enjoying himself on holiday in Germany. The girls, Jess, Sophie & Charlotte, all managed to run up all the routes with only the occasional stop to ponder a move.
Sally fought her way to the top with a determined look on her face, turning to joy and satisfaction as she reached the ground. Andrew got his excuses in early with his sore knee, but he still did well on a route and then did a great job belaying everyone else up the routes.
After everyone had climbed a few routes I set up an abseil so that the girls could climb to the top and then abseil down, controlling their rate of descent. Jess seemed far happier controlling her own rate of descent – when she had been lowered from the climbs it was always either too fast or too slow!
Everyone picked up the new skills quickly, letting me sit back and watch – great!
A last minute canoe session was organised this afternoon from Poolewe for the Kidd family. Mum and Dad (Laura and Frank) teamed up in one boat and the teenagers (Rosie and Finlay) in another. The competition between the boats was good natured and only turned nasty when Finlay tried splashing the other boat.
We fine-tuned the paddling stokes in the lee of Inverewe Gardens before heading out into the wind. Both teams fought hard against the wind and finally we made it along the coast. After a coffee we had a relaxing paddle back, travelling with the wind (although it had dropped considerably – typical!). Just enough time to see how balanced Rosie and Finlay were, ending with Finlay nearly falling in.
On the final journey back to shore one of the local seals popped up to see what we were doing, he watched us from the distance for the rest of the paddle. Laura thought she saw a jumping fish at one point, however it was later seen again and identified as an otter, who was swimming around the seaweed looking for lunch.